Elevator control system



Aug. 16, 1932. L, KlNNA-RD 1,872,300

ELEVATOR CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Oct. 6, 1928 INVENTOR L ufherd Kin/rand ;IATFTE)RNEY Patented I Aug. 16, 1932 UNITED! STATES PATENTOFFICE ,LUTHEB, J. KINNARD, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB 'ro wnsrmonousn ELECTRIC ELEVATOR COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS ELEVATOR CONTROL SYSTEM Application filed mm s, 1928. Serial'No. 310,714.

I My inveutionrelates to motor-control systems and has particular relation to control systems for elevators, hoists and the like.

An object of my in'vention'is to provide a control system for elevators wherein an elevator car may be variouslycontrolled to operate economicallyin an installation requira ing floor-to-floor service.

Another object of my invention is toprovide a control system for elevators of the type used in department stores wherein the car may be automatically slowed down as it approaches each of the floors, but will not be stopped thereat unless passengers desireto enter or leave the car.

Another object of myinvention is to pro? vide a control system wherein an emergency stop may be made by momentary reversal of the car switch. v

Another object of my invention is toprovide a control system for elevators of the automatic-landing type wherein, when a passenger signifies his intentionto enter or leave the car at a floor in case the car is too. close to the floor. to be stopped accurately thereat,

erence to the accompanying drawing in which:

the car may be reversed to make an automatic I landing at that floor from the opposite direction.

Elevator service in a department store difservice in which thecar, when started, auto matically stops at the next floor, whether actual service is desired at that floor or not, and hence such prior systems are uneconomical because a large amount of time is wasted in' making the complete stop and in opening the doors only to find that there are no passengers desiring to board or leave the car at those It has been discovered that :a more economical. manner ofoperatingdepartmentstore elevators is to cause the car to momentarily slow down at each of the floors, thus prepar ng" the car to make a stop, if it is de-' sired.- This operation .(gives the attendant a considerablylengthene period during whlch he may receive notification of the intentions of the passangers on his car as to their desires to leave the car at the floor then approached by the car.' On the other hand, it, during the period of slow operation, no persons desire to board or leavethe car, the car will then automatically accelerate to a higher speed and again decelerate as it approaches t enext floor. I I

' On the other hand,there may be occasions when it is desired to cause the car to make stops'only at certain of the floors and, under those conditions, it is not desirable to slowdown the car except when it approaches the desired floors." I

I I have, therefore, provided a control system whichmaybe operated in either of two manners, (1) in which the car will travel at the highest speed with which floor-to-floor automatically slow down'as it approaches each of the floorsand (2 ).in which the car will be operated at a higher -s eed and will only be sloweddown at those oors at which theattendant desires tostoph V My invention will be described with ref- The sole figure is a diagrammatic illustration of an elevator car embodying my department-store control system.

Referrin to the drawing, I have illustrated an e evator car C suitably, suspended upon a cable Ca which passes over a hoisting the motor EM is connected in loop circuit with the armature G of a generator. G. The generator G is provided with a separatelyexcited-field winding GF, a series-field winding GSF and a demagnetizing-field winding GAF. The. armature G of the generator G is suitably driven by means of a-driving mo- -,tor M, illustrated as of the shunt-wound type having its armature M, and its field winding connectedin shunt'relation'to a source of power designated by line conductorsLL runsmay be made and in which the carwill and L2. The elevator motor EM has its field winding EMF connected for constantvoltage energization to supply conductors L1 and L2.

The direction and speed of operation of the motor EM is suitably controlled by controlling the direction and value of excitation current supplied to the generator-separately-excited-field winding GF.

a relay" 3 and ahigh-speed relay 4:.

The direction ot excitation current for iield winding GF is suitably controlled by means of an up-direction switchl and down,- direction switch 2, while the value of the current supplied tothe field winding is con trolled by meansof an intermediate-speed The operation of the rip-direction and t lQWI1- (ll1 (3tl011 switches 1 and 2are suitablycontrolled by means of L p-direction and down-direction relays 5 and 6, respectively.

Acarswitch CS, mounted upon the elevator car C to be actuated by an attendant on the Manufacturing Company; .ir T h'e nductor-landing system includes a a stopp ng iriduetor relay S, an up-i11terme .li-

, sate;speedinductor rel av SU and an up-highl i i i speed inductor relay H U for caus ng the ear lobe. automatically gdeceleratedfrom its in- ..,whe11.t;l i e is traveling upwardly. Similla fly, stopping inductor relay S. downdnters mediatespeed inductor relay and downhigh-speed inductor relay will cause the car to slow down andstop at the floors when,

the caris traveling downwardly {Q It assumed thateach of thefioors past which the car moves will beprovided with a set of inductor, plates cooperating with the inductor relays as the car approaches predetermined points in advance ofthe corresponding floors.

,11 have illustrated the. inductor plates associated. with the second floor as comprising a stopping inductor plate S. an up-interme- ,diatespeed inductor plate SU' and an uphigh-speed inductor plate HU for successively operating inductor relays HU, SU and Sa s the car, moving upwardly, approaches the second-floor level, indicated by the dotted line. hen the car is traveling downwardly, internietliate spced inductor plate SD and high-speed inductor plate III) will successivelv operate inductor relays HD and SD,

. imm d te-an Ma i-s eds e p c ely, d brought to a stop at an e c't level with a floor 'bers 19.

respectively, as the car approaches the second-floor level.

My system will best be understood with reference to an assumed operation. Assuming the car C to be at the lowermost floor, the attendant may start the car upwardly by moving the car switch in a clockwise direction. Such operation will cause closing of the elevator ate and the hatchway door at the first floor (not shown) in any well known manner, it it is desired that such doors and gate beautomatic in operation and in addi tion such movement of the car switch will cause. energization of up-dircction relay 5 by way of a circuit which extends from line con ductor L1 through conductors 10, 11 and 12, the coil of up-directionrelay 5, conductor 13, contact members 14, 15 and 16 on carswitch CS and conductor 17 to line conductor L2.

Actuation of Lip-direction relay completes a circuit which energizes Lip-direction switch 1 and extends from line conductor L1, through conductor 18, normally closed contactmembers 19 of stopping inductor relay S, conductors 20 and'21,.the coil of up-direc tion switch 1, conductor 22, contact members 5 on tip-direction relay 5, conductor 23, normally-closed contact members a of a voltage relay V and conductor 24, to line conductor L2.

Up-direction switch 1, when energized, completes a self-holding circuit for itself which extends from line conductor L1. to the coilof tip-direction switch 1 by way of conductors 18, 20 and 21, as previously traced, and thence, by way of conductor contact members a of up-direction switch 1, conductor 26, normally closed contact members a on down-direction relay 6 and conductors L7, 28 and 24, to lineconductors L2. Thus, it will ;be observed tllil-tlllfi up-direction switch will remain inoperating position until inductor relay S is actuated to open its contact mem- Up-direction switch 1, whenractuated, also completes @Cllclllt for supplying excitation current tothe separately-excited-field winding GF oft-he geneIatOrIG, which circuit extends from line. conductor'LL, through conductors 10 and 29,.contactmembersbon updireetion switch 1, conductor30, field winding GF, conductors 31 and 32, contact members c on up-direction switch 1, conductor 33, resistors tsl and 35 and conductor 36. to line conductor L2. The car C will, therefore, be started upwardly at a very low speed.

Should it be desired to cause the car to travel at a greater speed, the car switch CS may be moved to a further position in a clockwise direction to complete a circuit for intermedIate-speed relay 3, which extends from line conductor L1, through conductors V 31, contact members 38 on (lOWIl-llltGI'llletllate-speed inductor relay SD, conductor 39, contact members 40 on lip-intermediatelineconductor L2. a

l is

' discomfort to passengers.

speed inductor-relay SU, conductor 41 the coil of intermediate-speed relay 3, conductor 42, contact members I) on relay V, conductors 43 and 44, contact members 45,15 and 16 on car switch CS and conductor 17, to line c0nductor L2. Intermediate-speed" relay 3,

vwhen energized, closes its contact members I) to shunt resistor section34 fromthe circuit previously traced for field winding GF to thereby cause thecar to travel at a higher speed and also closes itsicontact members a to complete a. self-holdingcircuit for itself independent of car switch CS and relay V which circuit extends, as previously traced from line conductor L1, through the coil 0 intermediate-speed relay 3 and thence ex- 1 tends, by way of conductors 42 and46, contact members a on intermediate-speed relay may make a floor-to-floo r run; In practice,

it is found that a speed of approximately 300 feet per minute is the most rapid speed to which accelerationand from. which deceleration may be made with a minimum of Under our assumed conditions, the car will approach the second floor at the speed.' M w I It will be observed that thecar, switch CS has, in addition to contact segment 15, a segment 49-electrically connected thereto and so arranged that, when the car switch CS has been moved just suficiently far to engage contact segment15 and contact member 45, contact segment 49 will be in engagement with contact member 50 but will be out of engagement with contact member 51. Hence, under'our assumed operating condiabove named, rate of tion, with a car switch moved to produce intermediate speed, a circuit will be completed for energizing intermediate-speed in,-

'ductor relay SU. This circuit extends from line conductor L1, through conductors 10 and 52, contact members *e-ion up-direction switch 1, conductor 53, the coil of up-intermediate-speed inductor relay SU, conduc tors 54, 55, 56 and 57,;contact members 50, 49, 15 and 16 on car switch CS'and conductor 17, toline conductor L2.

As the car approachesthe second floor, with the coil of inductorrelayf' SU energized, relay SU will be brought adjacent to inductor relay plate SU to thereby cause.

: it to open its contact members 40 during the time the relay is passing its inductor plate.

The openingjof contact members 40 on relay SU deenergizes the holding circuit for intermediate-speed e ay 3 and causes deenergization of this relay to automatically slow down the, car. Hence, the car will approach the second .fioor at a slow speed. If it is desired to stop the car at the second floor, the attendant must center the car switch, which operation causesenergization of -the coil of stopping inductor. relay S by way of a circuit which extends from line conductor L1, through conductor 58, the coil of stopping inductor relay S, conductor 59, contact members 51, 49, 15 and 16 on car switch CS and conductor 17, to line conductor L2. Hence, as the car approaches the level of the second floor, the relay S will be brought adjacent to inductor plate S,

thus causing inductor relay S to open its contact members 19 to break the holdingcircuit for the up-direction switch l. Y

On the other hand,.if the attendant has not been notified that passengers wish to through normally closed contact members I) on relay V.. If relay V is so selected as to open its contactmembers'only while the car is above the landing speed, that is, thespeed determined by the inclusion of both resistor sections 34 and 35 in the field winding circuit,

it will be observed that, if the car has slowed down to landing speed, the energizing circuit for intermediate-speed relay 3 will again be closed through conductors 42, 43 and 44 and contact member 45 of car switch CS. However, as soon as the car accelerates to a speed above the land speed relay V opens its contactmembers and places relay 3 under the exclusive control of the inductor relays SU and SD.

With the above construction, each time the car approaches a floor with the car switch held in intermediate-speed position, the car will be automatically slowed down but will not be stopped so long as the car switch is held in this position, and the car will again accelerate to move to the next fioor, when the inductor relay SU or SDpasses out of cooperative relation with its associated inductor plate.

Assuming that a passenger desired to leave the car at the second floor, but did not inform the attendant of his intention until after the car had slightly passed'the second floor level, the attendantmay reverse thecar [switch causing the car to reverse its direcrelay 6, by way of a circuit which extends ,plete a circuit for energizing down-direction from line conductor L1, through conductors 10, 11 and GO, the coil of rip-direction relay 6, conductor 61, Contact members 62, 15 and 63 oncar switch CS and conductors 64 and 17, to line conductor L2. I

Energization of down-direction relay 6 opens its contact members a to open the holding circuit for up-direction switch 1, and updirection switch 1 when deenergized, opens its contact members to break the holding C11- cuit for s 366d relay 3. Hence, the car will be stopped immediately. If the car switch CS is held in the new position until relay V is members a on relay V and conductor 2i, to

line conductor L2. Hence, the car will start downwardly at slow speed.

If the car switch CS is moved into engagement with contact member-.68, intermediatespeed relay 3 will again be energized by way at intermediate speed. I

n It will be observed, therefore, that, if the car switch is held in the reverse position, the

of conductor 43, as previously traced, and the car will move back to the second-floor level car will be reversed, but a momentary actuation of the car switch to reverse position merelycauses deenergization of interme diate speed relay 3 and the direction switch which l been in operation but will not cause completion of circuits necessary to reverse the car. '40

This latter operation is important in that a momentary reversal of the car switch will act as an emergency-stop operation.

If, on the other hand, it is desired that the car should not slow down at each floor approached thereby, the car switch maybe moved to acontinuous running position its extreme position in either direction to thereby energizing hi gh-speed relay 4: and moving contact segment d9 out of engagement with either of contact members 50 and 501 Movement of segment 49 out of engagement with contact members 50 and 50 prevents closure of the energizing circuit for the coils of intermediate-speed inductor relays SU or SD, so that these relays will not operate when they pass the corresponding inductor plates SU and SD mounted adjacent the various floors. In addition, when the car is not to be stopped or slowed down at each floor, it is desirable that it should be permitted to travel at a higher speed than 300 feet per minute and hence, with the car switch in the continuous running position, a circuit for high-speed relay 4 may be traced from line conductor .1,Ll 1 1; h conductors 37 and 69, contact i and its contact members a will complete a self-holding circuit for itself whichentends from line conductor L1 through the coil of high-speed relay 4:, as previously described, to conductor 74, and thence, by way of contact members a on high-speed relay 5i. and

conductors 77 and 47 contact members f on rip-direction switch 1 and conductor 48, to the conductor L2.

It will be observed, therefore, that I have provided a control system for departmentstore elevators wherein a rapid floor-to-floor movement may be had with automatic deceleration at each of the floors to provideample opportunity for the attendant to stop the car at each of the floors, if so desired, and which, on the other hand, may be operated at a greater speed whenever it is desired to travel more than one floor at a time. In addition to this, it will be further observed that Ihave provided asystem of control in which, if the passengers do not indicate their intention to enter or leave the car until after the car has passed the floor, the car may be readily 'feversed to give the necessary service. In addition to the foregoing, I have also provided a ready emergency stop control by actuation of the car switch in the reverse direction to that in which the car is traveling when such stop is desired.

It is understood that the described embodiment of my invention is illustrative only and I do not desire to be limited to the details shown herein except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my iny ention 1. In a control system for a departmentstore elevator, a car operable pasta plurality of floors, means for starting said car in either direction and movable from a car-stopping position'to a car-running position, means operable when said starting means is in said runnin position for causing said car to momenta-rlly slow down as it approaches each floor, and means operable upon movement of said starting means to car-stopping position for causing said car to stop at tlie next floor thereafter approached by said car.

2. In a control system for a departmentstore elevator, a car operablepast a plurality of floors, means for starting said car in either direction and movable from a car-stopping position to a first car-running position and to a second car-runnin position, means operable when said starting means is in said first runn1ng position forcausing said car to momentarily slow down as it approaches I each floor, and means operable upon movement of said starting means to said second: running position for causing said car to travel position to a firstcar-rnnning position and to i a second car-running position, means opera- .ble when said starting means is in said first running; position for causing said car to momentarily slow down as it approaches each floor, means Operable upon movement of said starting means to said second running posi- .tion for causing said car to travel past said floors at acoiistant speed, and means operable upon movement of said starting means to carv p I eratingmeans and said stop ing means efiecstopping position for causing said car to stop at the next floor thereafter approached by said can I o In a control system for an elevator opeachflo'or for decelerating said car as it approaches the corresponding floor, means for each floor for stopping said car when it arable to cause said car toapproach each of said floors subject to contro y only the decelerating means for the correspondingffloor i 'orto cause "said car to approacheachof said floors subject to control by both said deoeleratiing means and said stop ing means.

5. In as control system or a car operable past a floor, means for said floor for decelerating said car as 'it' approaches said floor, means for said floor for stopping said car when said car is level with said floor, means for controlling the direction of movement of said car, and means, operable when said car is moving in one direction, for immediatel stopping said car upon actuation of said direction controlling means to reverse the movementof said car,and means for prevent- 9 ing reverse movement of said car.

6. In a control system for a caroperable past a floor, means for said floor for decelerating said car as it approachessaid fioor, means for said floor for stopping said car for controlling the direction of movement of said car, and means operable when said car is moving in one, direction for immediately stopping said car upon momentary actuation 5 of said direction controlling means to reverse the movement ofsaid car, and operable upon continued actuation of said direction-controlling means to reverse said car for causingfsaid car to move in the opposite direction.

05 p In a control system for anelevator ops store elevator, acar operable past a plurality erable past a plurality offfloors, means for -rives level with the corresponding .floor," means for SlZELI'tIII said car, variouslyv 0perwhen said car is level with said floor, means erable, past a plurality of floors, means for each floor for decelerating said car when it approaches the corresponding floor, means foreach floor for stopping said car when it arrives levelwith the corresponding floor, a

ject to control by [both said deceleratingv means and said stoppin'g neans.

8. In a control systemwfor an elevator operable past ,a plurality of fioors,omeans for each floor fordeceleratingsaid car when it approaches the corresponding floor, means foreach floor for stopping said car when it arrives level with the correspondin floor, a 'car switch movable to one position or starta ing said car and for rendering only said decelerating meansefi'ective, operable to another position for rendering both, said deceltive,and operable toa thir "position; to render both said decelerating means and said:

stopping means ineffective.

9. In a controlsystemdfor anelevator, a

car operable past a plurality of floors, means for starting said carin either direction movable from acar-stopping position to a carrunning position, meansoperable when said starting means is in said runningposition to causelsaid elevator to decelerate from saidrunning speed to a lowerspeed whensaidelea vator .is one predetermined distance in ad-' for starting said car in either direction and movable froma car-starting position to a car- .100 vance of said floorand operable to cause said 7 running position, controlmeans movable to two positions and'eflect ve,when in one po- 11 sition, to limit saidcar speed to a speed lower 7 than said running speed and effective, when in-said other position, to cause said elevator to increase said car speed to saidrunning speed, and means eflective when said starting means is in said running-speedposition to causesaid control means to move to said first named position momentarily when said elevator is arpredetermined distance in advance of any one of said floors.

11.. In av control system for an elevator car operable past a plnrality of floors; motive I means for said car; and a controller for said motive means, said controller including a starting switch operable from an initial position to a second'position', switching mechanism responsive to operation of said starting switch to. said second position forcausing said motive means to start and accelerate said car to a normal speed, means to cause said motive tive means for said car 'saad aaeaaalra for said motiv' A ineairs j siiid contrbller anelaafag a starting-switch operabl'-" froifi Hi1 rains means to retard"and"stop"saidcarat any floor, said means includingfswitchliig nie chafj nism for causingretardation" of'saidmotrve means each time said"cafreaclies-"a'pointa predetermined distance'in'advan'deiif 'a floor and adapted to cause said motivemeans to again accelerate saidcar to said normal speed whensaid car reachesanotherp'oint alesse'r" 12. In a control system fo'r an elevator ear 5 operable past a plurality of nearer motive means for said caij-anda "controller for said motive means said comma including a starting 'switch' 'operable-fronran "mitialpa sition to a secondfpositiohiswitch iiigmocha nism responsive to operation of; seam-am: ing switch to saidsecon'd posit'lon to com plete circuits to 'cause saia metive means tostart and accelerate sa'idtcartt'a'a nohflalspeedg means to cause "saiid-n'iotft meaaseowetara and stop said car 'atany amassed mea'iis i-h l eluding switching'mechani'stii w -"canse z'i mo' cuits each time said car approaches a "floor;

ed upon return er said'starting switt'h to said initial sa a-lea te revesereeeispreaaa of said-*acce'ler'ating' circaits saaaa eause iiiby stop Silld'" car.

13. In a control 'sysa' eievaear car operable past a 7 0! position to elose'smrasg aaa ranaiag-een tact me b rsgswiiehing areem isia res ea sive to the operation of said 'startihg stiitch'f to closesaid startiiig-"conta'ct merfibrs"for causing "said mOtive' meaas to stars and ac celerate'said'car to amoriasrs eeeymeaas to cause sai d motive Ineanste rctard iiid 'stop said car at any floor?sfiidhiififiintzltidifi switching mechaiiisirrtd causeretai'datidfiof" said motive me ns-schism said ass a proaches a floor, and" additional" switching mechanism adaptedup'on of saidstart ing switch to saidinitiaf p'bsitibrit'o causesaid motive means tostoff; aadaams responsiveto' closure of said running contact mombersto render said retardingm'dstcip switch ing mechanism ineflective.

14. In 'contT l'system-form elevat'o'rca'r operable past 'a pluralityiof adds; motive means for said car;"anda 'conti bllerior said motiye' means; said "controller including -'a starting "switch operable *froihma initial pt Sit-1011 to c1osesart.ing*and-nimingcontact the operation ofsaid starting switch to close saidmotive 'means to start and accelerate saidcar to a normal speed, means to cause saidmotive means to. retard and stop said 'car at any'floor, said means including switch- "ing mechanism to'cause retardation of said motive means each time said car approaches a fi'oor' and additional switching mechanism adapted uponreturn of said starting switch to said initial position to cause said motive means to stop, and means responsive to closure of said running contact members to render said retarding and stop switching mechanism"ineffective and to cause saidmospeed;

" 15. In a control system for an elevator car operable past: a plurality of'floors; motive ineansfor said car; and a controller'for said "motivemeans, said controller including a startingswitch' operable from an initialpooperation of said starting switch 'to close said starting contact members to cause com- I v A "said'flo'or, and means responsive to closure of saidrunning contact members to render said retarding and stop switching mechanism j1nefiect ive. V

16. In a controlsystem for an elevator car ,means'for said car; and a controller for said motive means, said controller including a "starting switch operable from an initial position to close starting and running contact members, switching mechanism responsive to operation of said starting switch to close said starting contact members to cause completion P iof circuits to cause said motive means to j start and accelerate said car to a normal speedymeans to cause said motive means to retard and stop said car at any floor,said means lncludlng switching mechanism to members, switching mechanism responsive to sition to close starting and running contact members, switching mechanism responsive to and additional switching mechanism adapted uponi returnof said starting switch to said initial position to cause interruption of said jstarting circuits to bring said car to rest at cfoperablepast a plurality of floors; motive said starting contact members for causing tive means to acceleratesaid car to ahigher pleti'on of circuits to cause said motive means H 4 h w ,fco start and accelerate said car to a normal mentairy interruption of-saad *accelefatmg Eli- 1 'means 'including switching mechanism to fcause interruption of said accelerating circuits each time said car approaches a floor, and additional switching mechanism adapted upon return of said starting switch to said initial position to cause interruption of said starting circuits to bring said car to rest at said floor, and means responsive to closure of said running contact members to render 'Said retarding and stop switching mechanism ineffective and to cause said motivemeans to accelerate said car to a higher speed.

17. In an elevator control system, an ele- I vator car operable past a plurality of floors;

dering both said decelerating means and said I stopping means effective.

18. In an elevator control system, an elevator car operable past a plurality of floors; motive means for said car; decelerating means for controlling said motive means to decelerate said car When said car approaches each of said floors; stopping means for controlling said motive means to stop said car at each of said floors; means for controlling said motive means to the exclusionof said decelerating means and said stopping means; means for rendering said decelerating means effective to the exclusion of said stopping means; and means for rendering both said decelerating means and said stopping means effective.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this tenth day of Septemher, 1928. I

LUTHER J. KINNABD. 

